New Online Chikungunya Information Resource

Feb. 18, 2011 - PRLog -- An innocent mosquito bite during a holiday in a tropical region can lead to a nightmare back home. The severe joint pain can last for weeks and is so intense that makes movement very difficult and prostrates its victims. The disease is called ‘the illness of the bended walker’ or chikungunya. Since its discovery in Africa, in 1952, chikungunya virus outbreaks have occurred occasionally, but recent outbreaks have spread the disease to other parts of the world. Although chikungunya fever has been identified in nearly forty countries, general information about this nasty virus is often lacking. With the launch of a new online portal this year, relevant chikungunya virus information is now collected on a comprehensive website.

Chikungunya Virus Net (www.chikungunyavirusnet.com) is the web resource for anyone interested in chikungunya. The objectives of the website are to be the public and professional information resource for chikungunya and to serve as a network in the exchange of information and news related to chikungunya.

Researchers and health care professionals can keep track of the latest published scientific papers, chikungunya virus jobs and breaking news items. Chikungunya Virus Net also provides a full list of chikungunya guidelines and documents published by international organizations like WHO and CDC. Patients have access to a general section explaining chikungunya virus transmission, epidemiology, symptoms, treatment and prevention, including well defined terms and several video tutorials. Convenient links are included to relevant organizations and clinical chikungunya virus vaccine trials. The information on Chikungunya Virus Net is updated frequently, whereas news items and online research papers are constantly refreshed via RSS news feeds.

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is an insect-borne virus, of the genus Alphavirus, that is spread by Aedes mosquitoes. Chikungunya infection causes fever and severe joint pain. Other symptoms include muscle pain, headache, nausea, fatigue and rash. The disease shares some clinical signs with dengue, and can be misdiagnosed in areas where dengue (www.denguevirusnet.com) is common. There have been recent breakouts of chikungunya in Africa, Asia and the Indian subcontinent. In recent decades mosquito vectors of chikungunya have spread to Europe and the Americas. In 2007, disease transmission was reported for the first time in Europe. There is no cure for the disease. Treatment is focused on relieving the symptoms.

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For further information, please go to http://www.chikungunyavirusnet.com or contact the webmaster, Email: contact@chikungunyavirus.com